What'd I Say (album)
Encyclopedia
What'd I Say is a studio album recorded by Ray Charles
in New York City
and released in 1959.
What'd I Say peaked at #20 on the Billboard
"Pop Albums" chart in 1962. The album launched Charles' first top 10 hit, "What'd I Say
", and became his first gold record.
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and released in 1959.
What'd I Say peaked at #20 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
"Pop Albums" chart in 1962. The album launched Charles' first top 10 hit, "What'd I Say
What'd I Say
According to Charles' autobiography, "What'd I Say" was accidental when he improvised it to fill time at the end of a concert in December 1958. He asserts that he never tested songs on audiences before recording them, but "What'd I Say" is an exception...
", and became his first gold record.
Track listing
- "What'd I SayWhat'd I SayAccording to Charles' autobiography, "What'd I Say" was accidental when he improvised it to fill time at the end of a concert in December 1958. He asserts that he never tested songs on audiences before recording them, but "What'd I Say" is an exception...
" Parts 1 & 2 - "Jumpin' in the Morning"
- "You Be My Baby"
- "Tell Me How Do You Feel"
- "What Kind of Man Are You" (w/Mary Ann Fisher)
- "Rockhouse" Parts 1 & 2
- "Roll with My Baby"
- "Tell All the World About You"
- "My Bonnie"
- "That's Enough"
Personnel
- Ray Charles – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals - David NewmanDavid Newman (jazz musician)David "Fathead" Newman was an American jazz saxophonist.-Biography:Born in Corsicana, Texas, Newman's professional career as a musician began in 1954 as a member of the Ray Charles Band....
– tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
(tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) - Emmett Dennis – baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
(tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) - Bennie CrawfordHank CrawfordBennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. was an American R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, soul jazz alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter...
– baritone saxophone (tracks 1, 4) - Marcus BelgraveMarcus BelgraveMarcus Belgrave is a jazz trumpet player from Detroit, born in Chester, Pennsylvania. He has recorded with a variety of famous musicians, bandleaders, and record labels since the 1950s. Notable among them are: Ray Charles, Charles Mingus, Gunther Schuller, Motown Records, Tribe Records, Blue Note...
– trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
(tracks 3, 4, 8, 9) - Lee Harper – trumpet (tracks 3, 8, 9)
- Ricky Harper – trumpet (tracks 5, 10)
- Joe BridgewaterJoe BridgewaterJoe Bridgewater was an American soul jazz/R&B trumpeter, probably better known for his recordings with Ray Charles.In Houston in 1973, he played in the Sonny Franklin Big Band with Tom Archia, Arnett Cobb, Cedric Haywood and his bandmate from the Ray Charles band, Don Wilkerson, with guest...
– trumpet (tracks 5, 6, 10) - John Hunt – trumpet (tracks 4, 6)
- Edgar Willis – bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
(tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10) - Roosevelt Sheffield – bass (track 6)
- Richie Goldberg – drums (tracks 3, 8, 9)
- William Peeples – drums (tracks 5, 6, 10)
- Teagle Fleming – drums (track 4)
- Milt Turner – drums (track 1)
- Mary Ann Fisher – vocals (tracks 5, 10)
- The Raelets – vocal group (tracks 3, 5, 8, 9, 10)
- unknown – trumpet, saxophone, bass, drums (tracks 2, 7)